Brokerage Reminder: Unlicensed assistants – supervision required

Administrative and nondiscretionary duties

Brokers licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate (CalBRE) may hire unlicensed assistants to perform administrative activities on their behalf and on behalf of their agents.

Further, a broker who manages transient housing or apartment complexes may hire unlicensed assistants to perform administrative and nondiscretionary duties. All of these unlicensed assistants act only under the broker’s supervision and control. [Calif. Business and Professions Code §10131.01(a); see RPI Form 507]

However, all unlicensed personnel performing on the broker’s behalf need to do so with the broker’s permission and their activities continuously supervised. [California Bureau of Real Estate Real Estate Bulletin, Winter 1993]

Handling documents

A common activity for an unlicensed employee is to act as a transaction coordinator (TC). Here, the assistant handles a sales file opened by an agent, reviews transaction documents from the client and confirms their completeness. Documents and forms reviewed by a TC include:

purchase and lease agreements, or other contracts;

disclosure forms and reports;

inspection reports; and

escrow and title reports and forms.

Here, the TC is tasked with confirming the completeness of the documents. Any form or document not complete or fully executed by all required participants is brought to the attention of the agent. Only on the agent’s instruction may the document be forwarded to the client or participant for signing or acknowledgement of receipt.

TCs and assistants may prepare documents as instructed by the agent. Once complete, all documents prepared by the assistant are then reviewed by the agent prior to delivery to any participant in the transaction.

On instructions from the agent, an assistant may deliver or obtain documents relating to the transaction directly to and from the client. They may also obtain signatures on documents from any participant in the transaction. However, an unlicensed assistant may not discuss the content or significance of the document with any participant to the transaction — an activity requiring a CalBRE license. [CalBRE Bulletin, Winter 1993]

Property management

An employee hired to assist the broker in the rental and leasing of residential complexes, other than single family units, can be either:

Allowing access to property

With the property owner’s permission, an unlicensed assistant may open the property to third-party service providers to perform inspections or repairs related to the transaction.

However, an unlicensed assistant may not provide information to the inspector or repairman regarding the property unless they provide it as transmitted from a data sheet the agent has prepared. The assistant is also required to disclose the source of the data to the person receiving the information. [CalBRE Bulletin, Winter 1993]

Open house and marketing

With the property owner’s consent, an assistant may perform nondiscretionary activities while helping an agent at an open house for the sale of a property, such as:

providing pre-printed facts sheets which the agent has prepared;

arranging appointments; and

greeting the public.

Under the agent’s supervision, assistants may also prepare and design advertising, brochures and flyers in connection with the sales transaction.

However, when assisting an agent at an open house, assistants may not:

show the property;

discuss pricing, terms and conditions of the sale; or

discuss the property’s amenities (e.g. neighborhood, schools, etc.).

Further, any solicitation beyond providing information approved by the agent, such as a flyer, may only be conducted by the agent.

Communicating with transaction participants

Unlicensed assistants may arrange and schedule appointments for agents to meet with principals or members of the public relating to an existing or potential real estate transaction. They may also arrange appointments for services to be provided by third parties, such as pest control companies or appraisers. However, when making appointments, the may not discuss details related to the transaction or property conditions.

the timing of the delivery of reports or other information needed; and

any information relating to the performance and completion of third-party services.

When communicating with the public, assistants may also provide facts to others from writings which the agent has prepared — again advising on the source of the data.

Hiring unlicensed assistants provides time-saving and organizational benefits and is essential to effectively managing the business activities of brokers and agents. Understanding the limitations imposed by the CalBRE and state law allows agents to delegate activities to their assistants without crossing the line into licensed activities.

Delegated administrative activities save the agents and brokers many hours, shifting their valuable time from administrative activities to income-producing, lead-generating activities. In turn, the assistant’s activities increase an agent’s bottom line, justifying their employment.

2 Comments

Barry Freeland
on August 26, 2015 at 2:36 pm

Regarding Hiring unlicensed assistants
two years ago, I was told that in California an unlicensed assistant had to be paid not less than minimum wage. Can you varify that is true?
Or show where it is false.

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